Huawei nova 4 punches above its weight, but no 48MP camera

Huawei’s first smartphone of 2019 and the first with a “punch-hole” in-display camera – nova 4 – was officially unravelled in Malaysia on Wednesday, 16 January. The camera-focused device boasts a “Punch Fullview Display” and a triple camera system on the rear.

At the launch, Huawei revealed that the nova series has been a hit globally, with an impressive 65 million nova users across the world. In Malaysia alone, the nova series has sold over 1 million units in 2018.

It’s not difficult to see why the nova series has done so well. Devices like the class-leading nova 2iand successor nova 3 series pack plenty of kit, strong cameras and a young spirit that resonates with today’s digital-savvy youth. And of course, they’re also offered at rival-killing prices.

Credit: Rory Lee | SoyaCincau

Offered in Crush Blue and Black, the nova 4 comes with a 6.4-inch Punch FullView Display that tops Full HD+ resolution. The punch hole houses a massive 25MP front-facing camera. Huawei claims this is the smallest selfie camera unit in the world, with a diameter of only 3.05mm.

Externally, it doesn’t differ too much from the previous generation nova series, or its flagship sibling, the P20 series. That’s not a bad thing because it’s good-looking, if a bit of a fingerprint magnet.

Underneath, it runs last year’s flagship processor – the Kirin 970, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Around the back, you’ll find a fingerprint scanner and a triple camera setup that comprises a 20MP f/1.8 main camera, 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor.

The bad news is that Malaysia will not be getting the outrageous 48MP camera that’s offered in its homeland China.

Regardless, it’s still a strong camera setup with AI-assisted features and electronic image stabilisation (EIS) for videos.

The nova 4 gets a large 3,750mAh battery that charges via USB Type-C. Included in the box is an 18W (9V/2A) fast charger.

The device runs Android 9.0 Pie with EMUI 9.0.1 on top.

Credit: Rory Lee | SoyaCincau

Pricing and availability

The Huawei nova 4 is priced at MYR1,899 and will be available at all Huawei Experience Stores and authorised resellers nationwide starting 14 February 2019. It will also be available with telco contracts from Digi and Maxis.